The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture announced the names of 40 school districts across the county set to receive grants totaling $811,600. School districts include Burbank, Compton, Monrovia and Pasadena.

Administered through the LA County Arts Education Collective, the Advancement Grant Program is a countywide initiative dedicated to making the arts a core part of every child’s growth and development. Advancement grants, underwritten by the Arts Ed Collective Funders Council, offer flexible funding to school districts, and are matched by school district funds. Leveraging public and private resources, more than $1.6 million will be invested this year to expand access to instruction in dance, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts.

“We are proud to provide advancement grants with an eye toward increasing equity and access in arts education for the benefit of our county youth,” said Kristin Sakoda, director of Arts and Culture. “In this unprecedented time, the human connection, educational engagement, wellbeing, and creative expression that the arts provide is more important than ever. We are deeply grateful for our school district, philanthropy, and County partners as we collectively work to ensure opportunities for students to create and thrive.”

School districts use advancement grants to implement district-wide arts education in a range of ways including: arts integration, professional development and resources for teachers, social emotional learning in the arts, arts classes, and musical instrument purchases for at-home instruction. 

“Investing in the future for Los Angeles County’s children is imperative, especially now,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “These Advancement Grants support a well-rounded education and help school districts lay the foundation to careers in the arts and the creative economy. We want every person in Los Angeles County to have access to the breadth, depth, and diversity of the arts to enrich their childhood and foster their creativity into adulthood.”

For more information, visit lacountyarts.org.